williams



2Sheets--Sheet 2. G. E. WILLIAMS; Magazi-nefire Arm.

H0 Model.)

No. 23mm.

Patented Aug. 31,1880.

H ll,

WiHwQsEQ I tion through the breech.

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE E. WILLIAMS, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF OF HIS RIGHT TO REUBEN H. LLOYD, OF SAME PLACE.

FIRE-ARM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 231,879, dated August 31, 1880.

Application filed May 21, 1880. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1. GEORGE E. WILLIAMS, of the city and county of San Francisco, and State of California, haveinvented an Improved Magazine Fire-Arm and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention relates to certain improvements in magazine fire-arms; and itis more especially applicable to that class of guns in which the cartridge is received from the magazine into a carrier-block and is elevated by this block to a level with the bore of the gun, and is then forced into its chamberin the bar rel by a carrier-bolt or breech-pin operated by a lever and suitable connecting links or arms.

My invention consists of a peculiarly-slotted plate formed with the breech-pin bolt and adapted to reciprocate the bolt by the action of the guard-lever.

It also consists, in combination with the bolt, of a hinged locking-block which is connected with the guard-lever by links, and is thrown up by them to allow the bolt to be retracted, and is drawn down so as to lockit firmly when it has been forced forward and the cartridge introduced to its chamber ready for firing.

My invention further consists in a means for locking the piston or firing-pin so that it cannot be impelled against the cartridge until after the breech is entirely closed and locked in place, and also in a means for retracting the firing-pin to prevent its restingin contact with the cartridge before the latter is within the chamber ready for firing.

Iteferrin to the accompanying drawings for a more complete explanation of my invention, Figurelis ELscOtIOllZLlGlGViltiOl] of myimproved gun, showing the breech-pin withdrawn. Fig. 2 is sectional elevation, showing position of parts after firing. Fig. 3 is a transverse see- Figs. 4, 5,6, and 7 are details of construction. Figs. 7, 8, and 9 are details on an enlarged scale.

A is the frame within which the breech mechanism is placed, and B is a portion of the small of the stock. The barrel 0 screws into the front of the frame, and the magazine D lies just beneath the barrel.

E is the carrier-block, which moves vertically in a slot or mortise within the frame, as shown.

The breech-pin bolt F moves through the upper part of the frame, in rear of the barrel, and by its reciprocation forward forces a cartridge into the barrel, and when moved backward it extracts the empty shell and makes way for another cartridge, which is brought up from the magazine by the carrier-block, these operations not differing from those of the Winchester or Henry rifle.

In my invention I operate the breech-pin by means of a block or plate, G, which projects beneath the pin and has the peculiar-shaped three-part slot H formed in it. The guard-lever I has that portion which extends above the fulcrumnn J forked or formed double, so as to clasp the plate G, and a pin, K, passes through the slot H, to unite the two ends of the forked arm. This pin may have an antifriction roller upon it where it moves within the slot.

The inner end of the lever I is curted upward from the. fulcrum-pin, as shown, and when the outer end of the lever is thrown down the pin K traverses the slot H, first moving from the lower end in front to the top, at which point the end of the lever is the highest, and then moving down to the lower rear eud of the slot as the lever completes its arc of a circle. The brush-bolt is meanwhile withdrawn from the rear of the barrel, and the extractor removes the empty shell, while the rear end of the piston L forces the hammer back and cocks the gun.

Lugs M are formed with the plate G or breech-pin, or firmly secured thereto, so as to project out to each side, and a locking-block, N, is adapted to be forced down, so as to clasp the breech bolt and to engage these lugs, and thus prevent the bolt from being forced back by the explosion of the cartridge. This locking-block fits into a mortise in the top of the frame, and has an arm extending forward to the point a, where it is hinged. 9 5

The side of the block which fits behind the lugs may be curved with an are having a radius equal to its distance from the point a, while the corresponding faces of the lugs M will be convex, having the same radius. This will insure a close fit and a perfect look when the breech is closed.

In order to raise the locking-block to allow the breech-block to be retracted links 0 extend from each side of it down to the sides. of the lever I within the frame, and the first movement of the lever raises the locking-block until it is clear of the lugs M before the lever acts upon this bolt to retract it. When the breech is closed this block is drawn down behind the lugs, and will thus insure positive security and safety.

A difficulty which has been encountered in this class of guns is the liability of the cartridge to be discharged before it is seated in.

prevent this I employ a lock for the piston or tiring-pin, which will hold it back until the breech has been entirely closed and locked in its place. It consists ofa catch or pin, 1), which enters a hole or slot in the piston when the latter is drawn back.

I have shown two methods of constructing this pin. In one case flat steel springs extend forward beneath the lugs M, and are secured thereto, while their rear ends are attached to a transverse bar, 0, which carries the pins. In the other case the pin 1) has a stem, d, which extends downward into a socket in the rear part of the plate G, and a spiral spring holds it within plateG until a beveled lug, c, strikes a stop, f, in the rear of the frame, distends the spring, and forces the pin 1) into a notch in the firing-pin, to secure it, until plate G moves forward and releases lug c from stop f.

The bar 0 projects upon each side of the piston, and when the locking-block N is just reaching its seat itstrikes the bar and forces it downward, thus withdrawing the pin 1) and releasing the piston, so that it will be free to be acted upon by the hammer when it falls.

In order to retract the piston or firing-pin within the breech-bolt after the discharge of a cartridge, so that its point will not strike the next cartridge while it is being introduced into the chamber, the point of the pin b is beveled, as shown, where it enters the notch in the piston. Upon one side of the pin 1) is a small projection, c, and at the rear of the chamber in the frame is an inclined or beveled projection, f. When the breech-bolt and piston are drawn back after a discharge the projection f will act to force the pin 1) up, and the beveled end will be pressed into the notch or opening in the piston, so as to retract its pointwithin the breech-bolt. The pin 1) retains it in its retracted position until the breech is closed and locked, when it is released by the action of the block N, as before described.

The carrier-block E is moved up and down by the direct force of the lever I without the aid or use of any springs. This is done by means of the lever-arm P, the rear end of Y which is fulcrumed upon the pin J, between the forks of the guard-lever I, while its front end is fitted into a slot in the lower part of the carrier-block.

The guard-lever has a shoulder, g, formed just below its fulcrum-pin, and when the lever is thrown down and forward this shoulder strikes the lower part of the arm P and causes it to elevate the carrier-block. When the lever I is again thrown up or returned to its position in closing and locking the breech a bar, h, across the forks above the fulcrum pin strikes the top of the arm P, and thus forces it and the carrier-block down again. Flat or other suitable springs between the sides of the carrier-block and the mortise in the frame provide sufficient friction to retain it at any point until it is moved by the action of the lever.

The general form and many of the parts of my gun are not dissimilar from certain guns now made, and I do not claim these features, broadly; but my invention provides a better means of operating these parts, and a means for making them absolutely safe, while the operation of the whole of the mechanism is effected by positive movements and without the aid of springs.

Having thus described myinvention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The reciprocating breech-bolt F and the plate G, with its slot H, as shown, in combination with the guard-lever I, forked at its inner end and having the pin K, passing through the slot H, whereby the end of the lever is allowed to swing in the arc of a circle and produce a reciprocating movement of the bolt without theintervention of links,.substantially as herein described.

2. The reciprocating breech-bolt F, with its slotted plate G, adapted to be operated by the lever I. and provided with the lugs M, in combination with the locking-block N, having the links 0, connecting it with the lever I, whereby the breech-bolt is thrown forward and the locking block forced down simultaneously, substantially as herein described.

3. The reciprocating breech-bolt F, having the piston or firing-pin L, sliding within it, in combination with plate Gr, locking-pin 1), provided with beveled lug c, and the stopf, 011 the rear of the frame, whereby the pin locks the firing-pin when the breech is open and releases it when the breech-bolt moves forward, as set- GEO. E. WILLIAMS.

Witnesses S. H. NoURsE, FRANK A. BRooKs. 

